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Auxin is the major hormone involved in the shade-avoidance response in plants. Auxin-induced elongation of the stem is accompanied by the restraint of leaf blade expansion. The auxin transportation inhibitor, 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA), is widely used in auxin functional studies, while the effects of NPA on soybean leaf expansion under shade conditions is still not known. This study assessed the effect of NPA on hormone content and cell dynamics variations during leaf expansion of soybeans under shade conditions. The results revealed that the inhibition of soybean leaf area under shade conditions was caused by a reduction in the cell number at the early stages of leaf expansion. The application of NPA under shade conditions inhibited leaf expansion by reducing the cell number. Auxin levels showed an increasing trend during the leaf expansion under shade, while cytokinin was significantly reduced. The application of NPA also reduced cytokinin levels. Cell flow cytometry revealed that reduction of the cell mitotic index by shade and NPA were caused by decreasing cell division at the early stages of leaf expansion. The shade-tolerant variety had a relative larger leaf area than the shade-sensitive variety due to higher cell division. In conclusion, the application of NPA caused a cytokinin reduction at the early stages of leaf expansion, leading to a lower cell division and cell number and inhibiting the leaf area in soybeans under shade. Future works of the function of cytokinin on cell division for selecting a higher leaf area may increase shade tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D, and to compare their performance among patients living with haemophilia in China.Methods: A total of 875 Chinese patients completed the EQ-5D-5L, SF-6D, and Haem-A-QoL questionnaires. Construct validity of the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D dimensions and indices was assessed by testing hypotheses relating these measures to Haem-A-QoL and clinical measures. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess convergent validity, and one-way analysis of variance (F statistic) was used to assess the known-groups validity (discriminatory power). The agreement between EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D indices was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot.Results: Both the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D indices showed acceptable ceiling and floor effects. As hypothesised, both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D were significantly correlated with Haem-A-QoL (both dimensions and overall score). EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D indices as well as EQ-VAS differentiated patients are known to differ in severity of haemophilia, bleeding status, disabling levels, and comorbidity. The F statistics in the known-groups comparisons suggested that the EQ-5D-5L was slightly more discriminative than the SF-6D. ICC (0.41) and Bland-Altman plot confirmed that the agreement between the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D indices was poor.Conclusion: Both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D showed satisfactory construct validity in the measurement of the HRQoL among patients with haemophilia. However, the two instruments may not be used interchangeably in this patient population due to their poor agreement and differing discriminatory power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf anatomy and the stomatal development of developing leaves of plants have been shown to be regulated by the same light environment as that of mature leaves, but no report has yet been written on whether such a long-distance signal from mature leaves regulates the total leaf area of newly emerged leaves. To explore this question, we created an investigation in which we collected data on the leaf area, leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf anatomy, cell size, cell number, gas exchange and soluble sugar content of leaves from three soybean varieties grown under full sunlight (NS), shaded mature leaves (MS) or whole plants grown in shade (WS). Our results show that MS or WS cause a marked decline both in leaf area and LMA in newly developing leaves. Leaf anatomy also showed characteristics of shade leaves with decreased leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, sponge tissue thickness, cell size and cell numbers. In addition, in the MS and WS treatments, newly developed leaves exhibited lower net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs) and transpiration rate (E), but higher carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the intercellular space (Ci) than plants grown in full sunlight. Moreover, soluble sugar content was significantly decreased in newly developed leaves in MS and WS treatments. These results clearly indicate that (1) leaf area, leaf anatomical structure, and photosynthetic function of newly developing leaves are regulated by a systemic irradiance signal from mature leaves; (2) decreased cell size and cell number are the major cause of smaller and thinner leaves in shade; and (3) sugars could possibly act as candidate signal substances to regulate leaf area systemically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Relay intercropping maize yields are comparable to sole cropping maize yields, but mechanism explanations and studies based on plant morphology, source-sink relationships and leaf photosynthesis physiological perspectives are unclear.The experiments was conducted in a two-factor randomized block design, including two different maize varieties (A1: RongYu 1210 (RY1210), A2: ZhongWangYu 18(ZWY18)) and two plant pattern (B1: Relay intercropping (RI), B2: sole cropping (SC)).The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of A1B1 wide row (WR) was increased by 6.95% and 10.78% compared to A1B2, respectively. Chlb and Chl(a + b) of A1B1 WR were no significant difference from A1B2. Average dry matter accumulation in ear of A1B1 was significantly lower than that of A1B2 by 9.77%. When 13CO2 labeling the WR of ear leaves, the abundance of 13CO2 in the ear of A1B1 WR was significantly increased by 0.75% and 150% compared to A2B1 WR in the ear and ear leaves, respectively. Silking stage, the thickness of upper and lower epidermis and leaf thickness of A1B1 significantly increased by 10.70%, 5.82% and 1.77% compared to A2B1. The average yield of A1B1 was 8344.13 kg ha−1, which was no significant difference compared to A1B2.It was attributed mainly to increase the Pn of WR maize, which increased the 13CO2 abundance of WR ear leaves, leaf epidermal thickness and photosynthetic leaf area, and facilitated the transfer of photosynthetic assimilated products to the seeds, which guaranteed stable yields of A1B1.Methods: Relay intercropping maize yields are comparable to sole cropping maize yields, but mechanism explanations and studies based on plant morphology, source-sink relationships and leaf photosynthesis physiological perspectives are unclear.The experiments was conducted in a two-factor randomized block design, including two different maize varieties (A1: RongYu 1210 (RY1210), A2: ZhongWangYu 18(ZWY18)) and two plant pattern (B1: Relay intercropping (RI), B2: sole cropping (SC)).The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of A1B1 wide row (WR) was increased by 6.95% and 10.78% compared to A1B2, respectively. Chlb and Chl(a + b) of A1B1 WR were no significant difference from A1B2. Average dry matter accumulation in ear of A1B1 was significantly lower than that of A1B2 by 9.77%. When 13CO2 labeling the WR of ear leaves, the abundance of 13CO2 in the ear of A1B1 WR was significantly increased by 0.75% and 150% compared to A2B1 WR in the ear and ear leaves, respectively. Silking stage, the thickness of upper and lower epidermis and leaf thickness of A1B1 significantly increased by 10.70%, 5.82% and 1.77% compared to A2B1. The average yield of A1B1 was 8344.13 kg ha−1, which was no significant difference compared to A1B2.It was attributed mainly to increase the Pn of WR maize, which increased the 13CO2 abundance of WR ear leaves, leaf epidermal thickness and photosynthetic leaf area, and facilitated the transfer of photosynthetic assimilated products to the seeds, which guaranteed stable yields of A1B1.Results: Relay intercropping maize yields are comparable to sole cropping maize yields, but mechanism explanations and studies based on plant morphology, source-sink relationships and leaf photosynthesis physiological perspectives are unclear.The experiments was conducted in a two-factor randomized block design, including two different maize varieties (A1: RongYu 1210 (RY1210), A2: ZhongWangYu 18(ZWY18)) and two plant pattern (B1: Relay intercropping (RI), B2: sole cropping (SC)).The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of A1B1 wide row (WR) was increased by 6.95% and 10.78% compared to A1B2, respectively. Chlb and Chl(a + b) of A1B1 WR were no significant difference from A1B2. Average dry matter accumulation in ear of A1B1 was significantly lower than that of A1B2 by 9.77%. When 13CO2 labeling the WR of ear leaves, the abundance of 13CO2 in the ear of A1B1 WR was significantly increased by 0.75% and 150% compared to A2B1 WR in the ear and ear leaves, respectively. Silking stage, the thickness of upper and lower epidermis and leaf thickness of A1B1 significantly increased by 10.70%, 5.82% and 1.77% compared to A2B1. The average yield of A1B1 was 8344.13 kg ha−1, which was no significant difference compared to A1B2.It was attributed mainly to increase the Pn of WR maize, which increased the 13CO2 abundance of WR ear leaves, leaf epidermal thickness and photosynthetic leaf area, and facilitated the transfer of photosynthetic assimilated products to the seeds, which guaranteed stable yields of A1B1.Conclusions: Relay intercropping maize yields are comparable to sole cropping maize yields, but mechanism explanations and studies based on plant morphology, source-sink relationships and leaf photosynthesis physiological perspectives are unclear.The experiments was conducted in a two-factor randomized block design, including two different maize varieties (A1: RongYu 1210 (RY1210), A2: ZhongWangYu 18(ZWY18)) and two plant pattern (B1: Relay intercropping (RI), B2: sole cropping (SC)).The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of A1B1 wide row (WR) was increased by 6.95% and 10.78% compared to A1B2, respectively. Chlb and Chl(a + b) of A1B1 WR were no significant difference from A1B2. Average dry matter accumulation in ear of A1B1 was significantly lower than that of A1B2 by 9.77%. When 13CO2 labeling the WR of ear leaves, the abundance of 13CO2 in the ear of A1B1 WR was significantly increased by 0.75% and 150% compared to A2B1 WR in the ear and ear leaves, respectively. Silking stage, the thickness of upper and lower epidermis and leaf thickness of A1B1 significantly increased by 10.70%, 5.82% and 1.77% compared to A2B1. The average yield of A1B1 was 8344.13 kg ha−1, which was no significant difference compared to A1B2.It was attributed mainly to increase the Pn of WR maize, which increased the 13CO2 abundance of WR ear leaves, leaf epidermal thickness and photosynthetic leaf area, and facilitated the transfer of photosynthetic assimilated products to the seeds, which guaranteed stable yields of A1B1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]